Microbrews festival on tap

Having already succeeded at branding Vista as the craft beer capital of North County, civic boosters are putting the final touches on an inaugural Classic Blues & MicroBrews Festival.

Set for Saturday in historic downtown, the shindig will feature blues bands and up to 25 craft brewers from throughout Southern California.

“We wanted to do something different,” said Gumaro Escarcega, executive director of the Vista Village Business Association. “It’s a great fit and it’s another way to bring people to downtown.”

The Vista Brewers Guild lists eight craft breweries on its website, in addition to California Fruit Wine. Microbrewery owners have said the city is a natural spot for them because it is along state Route 78, it is easy for visitors to locate and, perhaps most important, it is close to one of the more prominent craft brewers anywhere, Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido.

Daniel Love, the co-owner of Mother Earth Brew Co. who helped organize the event, is hopeful the festival will grow into an annual destination.

“The people who live in Vista are really proud of their city,” he said. “We thought we need to have something that will bring focus to the area, bring a focus to downtown.”

The festival is set to run from noon to 6 p.m. and is only open to those 21 and older. Pre-paid prices are $20 for five tastes or $30 for 10 tastes and can be purchased at

vistabluesandbrews.com. If you wait to buy your ticket at the event, it will cost $25 for five tastes and $35 for 10 tastes.

Those who just want to enjoy the music and scenery can pay a $5 cover charge to listen to the bands. Organizers say the bill includes Firefly, Swingin’ Kings and Ruby & the Red Hots.

For more information, call the Vista Village Business Association at (760) 414-9391.

The festival is the latest in a series of events aimed at spotlighting a burgeoning downtown. A record crowd of 60,000 people attended the Vista Strawberry Festival, a street party held in May. Other events this year included the fourth annual Taste of Vista, the fourth annual Smokin’ Q Classic, and the 23rd annual Rod Run.